Antique Portrait Silhouette By Merryweather Young Lady With Braided Plait C 1840s

If you love good 19th century folk art, you will love this silhouette. Its subject, frame and artist make it a very appealing package that is just perfect for your folk art interior. Silhouettes work so well with when displayed together with miniature samplers and portraits.

The silhouette was produced in England by Edward Merryweather during the mid 1840s period. We have retailed several silhouettes by him during the past 20 years in the business and this sweet lady is clearly in the same hand using the same tell tale techniques. There are relatively few known examples of Merryweather’s work compared to other profilists of this period. What we do know is that he was active from the mid 1840s as a silhouette artist, prior to that he was an art dealer. He predominantly produced cut paper works with bronzed detailing.

The silhouette depicts young lady in profile view. The artist has then hand painted the sitter’s features in gold detailing in a process known as ‘bronzing.’ This bronzing is really top quality, he has used the lightest of brush strokes to produce, depth, texture and highlights to her frilled dress and hair...see how her hair shines, and we adore her braided low looped hair typical of early 1840s fashion!!

The silhouette is housed behind old glass in its original stained wood frame. The frame is superb with its dry patina, perfect for the purist.

Measuring: Frame width 5 ½ inch (14 cm) by height 7 inch (18 cm). Aperture width 2 ¾ inch (7 cm) by height 4 1/8 inch (10.5 cm).

Condition: Surface wear to frame commensurate with age, see surface mark at 2 o'clock. Also a small diagonal surface scratch to the glass bottom right.

A fantastic opportunity to own a fine silhouette by a sought after 19th century silhouette artist.

ITEM ID:14866